Political Action Network Netroots Project

The Netroots Project is the baby of a handful of blogs in the reality based community: Firedoglake, Crooks & Liars and Unclaimed Territory. This is an adjunct to the Netroots Project for information sharing for and by the individual state groups. Please join us.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Chili, Ice Cream, Barbecue, or Phone-banking?

In just about three weeks you will have the opportunity to come together with Democrats in your community to meet, greet and organize as we get ready for elections this fall.

Saturday, July 29th will mark 100 days until Election Day, and Democrats will be celebrating the occasion and making their commitment to work hard until November in a series of events called the Democratic Reunion.

They've captured the spirit perfectly in Oklahoma, where you'll find an "Oklahoma Democratic Party Family Reunion" where Democrats young and old will join others who have left politics or never participated before. All of them will be committing to give their all for the last 100 days.

And in Washington, they've worked to coordinate their events with campaigns from across the state - ensuring that come Election Day, there's a network of dedicated volunteers to help get out the vote.

Find a Democratic Reunion event near you -- just follow this link and plug in your zip code:

All kinds of events are happening as part of the Democratic Reunion. Social events, canvasses and phone-banks, candidate meet-and-greets -- whatever your comfort level, whatever your community wants, the important thing is that Democrats come together.

A few of the other kinds of events:

Casper, Wyoming: Casper Canvass and Barbecue

Eugene, Oregon: Lane County Democratic Party Chili Cook-off

Biloxi, Mississippi: Picnic for Democracy

Tucson, Arizona: Ice Cream Social

Nampa, Idaho: Meet Your Local Democratic Candidates

That's only a few -- not to mention the 31 events in Georgia, the 42 events in Ohio, or the event in Fairbanks, Alaska being put together by a candidate for the state legislature.

Can't find an event near you? There are so many options, and planning your event is so easy with our online events center, why not create your own? We'll provide tips and support to make your event a success, and we'll even make sure you get materials like doorhangers and postcards to help spread the word in your community.

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Steve Clemons on Schumer's support for an indy Lieberman

I feel the same way about Lieberman running as an Independent as I did about President Bush appointing John Bolton to the UN via a recess appointment. That's ok. Lieberman has the right to do that -- just as the President has the right to end run the Senate on appointments -- though they can only last through a single Congressional term.

But, he adds, Schumer is out of line when he refuses to endorse the winner of primary:

But what is irritating is that other Democrats like Chuck Schumer have the arrogance to act as if politics is a "top-down" arrangement and that those at the helm are really just a stacked deck of leadership annointed personalities.

Schumer hinted at the possibility that if Lamont succeeds in forcing Lieberman out as the carrier of Democratic aspirations in Connecticut, that the DSCC might support Lieberman as an independent.

This is outrageous. Schumer needs to be told in no uncertain terms that if he works to protect the inbred qualities of a Democratic leadership that has been inchoate and thus far unimpressive in its response to Bush-led Republicanism, then he has to go as well. Schumer is trying to stop change inside the Democratic Party, and that is what the party needs most.

This is the first step in Chairman Martin's calculated effort to gut some of the last remaining limits on media ownership.

When the FCC last tried to change these rules under then-Chairman Michael Powell, some 3 million people contacted the FCC and Congress to oppose the action. The rule changes were later overturned by the courts, sending the FCC back to the drawing board.

Now Chairman Martin -- backed by the biggest media giants -- is angling to eliminate the newspaper-broadcast "cross-ownership" ban that prevents a single conglomerate from owning the major daily newspaper as well as radio and TV stations in a single market. And he wants to lift local ownership caps on how many TV stations one company can own in your town.

If these rule changes were approved, one company could own the major paper, eight radio stations and three television stations in the same city.

A handful of huge companies already control nearly all of the media in America. Such concentration destroys local news, sidelines dissenting views, and stifles competition. When we allow one company to own everything, we lose the diversity of views that is the lifeblood of our democracy.

Today, a diverse alliance of groups launched the www.StopBigMedia.com Coalition to make sure that the public voice is heard before Washington policymakers sell what's left of the local and independent media.

The only way we'll win is to flood the FCC docket with more than a million public comments opposing further media consolidation.

Your action today makes a difference.

Onward,

Robert W. McChesneyPresidentFree Presswww.freepress.net

Help get a million public comments into the FCC. Forward this email to five friends and ask them to take action now.

For more on what's at stake, read FCC Commissioner Michael Copps' commentary in the Financial Times:

"The really scary part is that matters could get much worse. Today, the Federal Communications Commission will begin a wholesale revision of the nations media ownership rules. These limit how many television stations, radio stations and newspapers one company can own in a single market. Three years ago, against my objections, the FCC tried radically to loosen its rules. Thankfully, a federal court sent these ill-advised rules back to us. Now we have a second chance to get them right. But it will take concerted citizen action to check big medias hunger for still more consolidation.

As for the internet, we desperately need so-called net neutrality rules. These would prohibit broadband providers from giving preferential treatment to information and data based upon its source. The creators of the open internet never envisaged it being littered with gates and toll-booths. Anyone expecting the internet to reverse media consolidation should understand that it is heading down the very same road.

The fight against consolidation is not liberal versus conservative or red state versus blue. It is a grassroots, all-American campaign to preserve the very democracy that de Tocqueville saw in America. Every citizen is a stakeholder in the outcome and every citizen should be part of the decision-making."

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

First of our Monthly Meetings at Kerry's Office

On Thursday May 18 the group from the MA Roots Project had its first "official" meeting with the director of Sen. Kerry's Boston office. We met him on April 22 when a group of five of us went to Fanuill Hall in Boston to hear the Senator give a speech on the 35th anniversary of his testimony against the Vietnam war. We were expecting a town hall kind of meeting and it turned out to be a speech (though an excellent one). We stuck around afterward wanting to make a connection with someone from his office. We lucked out and had a brief and cordial chat with Jon Jennings who was very interested in finding out more about what we are doing and how we can work together. He offered to meet with us monthly. He was familiar with the blogs and had seen FDL.

Though we had wanted to talk with him specifically about the shredding of the Constitution by this administration and the threat to invade Iran, the meeting turned out somewhat differently. Our group consisted of Prof. Foland, Scarecrow, rcman, KathrynMA, TonyK and me. Prof. Foland wrote up the summary and we shared it with Jon before posting it here. Our next meeting with him will be after YKos (to which at least two of us are going)

Summary of the Discussion

Several members of the MA Roots Project traveled to Senator Kerry'soffice to speak with the director of the Boston office. Theconversation was conducted as "off the record" (a point Roots groupswill have to deal with) in order to increase the possible level ofcandor. We will report on what we said, on its general reception,and some lessons we took away. Obviously, nothing from theconversation can be construed as an official position of Senator Kerry.

This was the first in a monthly series of meetings, so we spent mostof the time feeling each other out, and understanding how we can cometo usefully work together. We delivered a few major points, and adiverse array of secondary points. First, we introduced ourselvesand the Roots Project; there was considerable interest in how theProject came about and how it is and is not organized. We made clearour concern that there was a lack of leadership from the Democraticparty. We made clear that with a broad consensus having formedthroughout the country about the failures of this Administration, wefound it difficult to understand why we were having such a difficulttime hearing clear statements of defense of our rights against theAdministration. We asked for some direction in how we mighteffectively shape both the Senator's public positions, and theirreception. We also realized that this was more about the leadershipof the party as a whole than just what Sen. Kerry can/cannot, should/should not do or say.

We came out of the meeting with a sense of a few things lookingforward. First, there was a lot of discussion of how “Kansasfarmers” can be brought on board, and how that could be a majorchanging point for the political discussion. (A purely observationalnote: these Kansas farmers came up an awful lot for a discussion witha Senator from Massachusetts, however Jon ran for congress in Indianaand was on the ground learning lessons).

Second, there was a lot of discussion about how large numbers ofpeople demonstrating in the streets could bring about substantialshifts in the political discussion. We all understood that theprotests of the Vietnam war in the streets included the dynamic ofthe reality of the draft which we do not have in today’s war.

Towards the first of these, we came out with an understandingthat small-town newspapers might make a good venue, not only withLTE's, but also articles (as many such newspapers are always lookingto fill column inches.) Pieces written by our roots folks need to bemore like conversations with neighbors than shrill tirades. We aretrying to bring over the fence-sitters with reason and common sense.

We also had some useful discussion concerning the local AirAmerica station and whether there might be a useful role for theRoots Project with their local programming, such as it is. There wasalso discussion of how hard the right side pushes, consistentlysending hundreds of faxes on issues even to Senators (like Kerry)with whom they know they will never agree. This sets the bar prettyhigh for us in our actions. But when Senators and Reps can say instaff meetings, committee meetings, and on TV that their mail andfaxes are running 2-1 in favor of reining in the Administration onsome issue, they will find it much easier to do so.

There was a lot of discussion of the relative roles of leaders, suchas Kerry, and "the American people". We certainly need to doeverything within our power to make sure the peoples' end of that isupheld. There is an obvious tension between we, the people wantingsomeone to get in front and lead a movement, and the legislatorsfeeling the need to have the grass roots push them into action.

We came away with a positive feeling having spent an hour and a halfwith a high level staffer who knows about and reads some of the blogs(including FDL now) and wishes to work with us to figure out how wecan work together to bring about a progressive change in our government.

Kathryn added:

I came away with the impression that its not what we can urge the senators to do, it is more what we can do to encourage the "groundswell of the people's demands.' It seems Congress is waiting for this 'groundswell' before undertaking any action. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us - the Roots - to become even more active, reach out to 'ordinary people' who do not read blogs, and start a discussion in the town General Store, over the fence, at the service station. I was taken aback at this viewpoint because a bunch of leaderless people in the streets is anarchy. I was demanding a leader stand up, but the leaders want us to stand up. I think, therefore, its up to us. A leader will emerge.

Monday, May 22, 2006

National Day of Out(r)age - May 24th

NATIONAL DAY OF OUT(R)AGE

SaveAccess.org, a national coalition of community media organizations and individuals, is coordinating a nationwide day of protests with actions taking place in New York City, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco on Wednesday, May 24th.

FAIR is helping to organize the New York City protest.Join us. Make your voice heard.

Wednesday, May 24th at the Verizon World Headquarters 140 West Street (at Vesey Street).

12:30-1:30pm (Pre-assemble at 12:15pm)A/C/E/2/3 trains to Chambers St.www.saveaccess.org/protest(Times and locations of other nationwide actions listed below)

We are protesting:1) Telco-driven congressional legislation (HR 5252 and S.2686) that endangers public access centers and channels, threatens to red-line communities, and undermines an open internet by not protecting net neutrality.

We need to stop these bills in their current form -- we need more protections.

2) Telco collusion with the NSA to illegally violate the privacy of tens of millions of Americans.

We need to demand an investigation and enforcement of the law.

3) The Telco campaign to buyoff statehouse and congressional representatives around the country to push their legislation through.

We need real campaign finance reform and political transparency.

4) The Telco policy of using astroturf groups to push their deceptions on the public.

We need to expose these campaigns for what they are -- corporate propaganda.

5) The mergers and takeovers within in the Telco industry that have resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs.

We need to stop the AT&T - BellSouth merger until there is accountability and thorough anti-trust reviews.Other Day Of Out(r)age actions across the country include:

The Place: Outside the AT&T / SBC building, at the intersection of Congress Parkway and South Federal Street in downtown Chicago (just a block south of the Library / State and Van Buren CTA station, immediately west of the Harold Washington Library Center)

Date/Time: Wednesday, May 24, 4pm - 6pm

San FranciscoTwo Community Actions hosted by Media Alliance

12 Noon at AT&T ParkJoin media advocates & community activists out front of the SF Giants game for some activist style theatrical sports. Help make the point that consumers won't play ball with AT&T and other Telcos that play ball with the NSA.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

The Grand Old Party's Grand Plan to Hijack California

"Coercion, Extortion and Blackmail": The Garamendi Campaign is Under Siege

Look carefully, and the specter of the plan coalesces and clarifies before your horrified eyes. If only we had a skillful Democratic Party leadership - block and tackle could be simple, but, alas, we do not. Is it just that they cannot see, or worse.

Rooming with the media? New York and DC

Nation Interns Seek HousingWe're seeking low-cost housing options in the Washington, DC and New York City areas starting in early to mid June for some responsible, reliable, well-behaved, charming and tidy Nation interns. They all work full-time at the Nation office in Manhattan. Single rooms in houses, apartments or short or long-term house-sitting arrangements would be appropriate and appreciated. Any help you could offer would mean a great deal to us. If you or anyone you know can help out, please email Emily Biuso at emily@thenation.com.

Middle East Specialists Advise Bush Against Iran War

Click the link and sign the petition:

Open Letter to President George Walker Bush

April 21 2006

Mr. President:

We the signatories of this letter have dedicated our lives to studying the Middle East and it is in that capacity and as concerned citizens that we write to strongly oppose and warn against the military option in Iran. As the International Atomic Energy Agency has found no evidence of research or diversion of materials toward atomic weapons in Iran, concerns about future dual use of nuclear technology ought to be addressed in face to face negotiations. Such alternative venues as coercive diplomacy and military action will lead to further militarization and pressures on civil society at the expense of the democratic movement in Iran. The extreme right of the political spectrum of that country will be the sole beneficiary of such policies. The catastrophic regional and global consequences of escalating this crisis will not serve the interests of the United States, the course of democratic development in Iran, or the cause of global peace.